Wenn sich die Wand in der Nähe der Wand seines Nachbarn befindet und einen rechten Winkel dazu bildet, darf er keine weitere Wand in der Nähe der Wand platzieren, es sei denn, er platziert sie vier Ellen entfernt. [Wenn er kam, um eine zweite Wand gegen die Wand seines Nachbarn zu stellen, so dass die drei Wände eine Art Beth bildeten, kann sein Nachbar ihn aufhalten, bis er sie vier Ellen entfernt, damit zwischen den beiden Wänden genügend Platz für Menschen zum Gehen ist Das Betreten des Bodens in der Nähe der Mauer stärkt und festigt die Fundamente der Mauern. Dies nur mit einer Gartenmauer oder einer Mauer im Hof einer neuen Stadt, wo nicht viele getreten sind und wo der Boden nicht ausreichend gestärkt wurde. Aber mit einer Mauer im Hof einer alten Stadt kann er sich den Mauern anschließen und muss sie nicht distanzieren. Wenn die Wand seines Nachbarn kürzer als vier Ellen ist, braucht er keinen Abstand (seine Wand), denn eine Wand, die kürzer als vier Ellen ist, muss nicht verstärkt werden.] Und die Fenster—oben, unten und gegenüber vier Ellen. [Wenn er oben ein Fenster an seiner Wand hatte und sein Nachbar eine Wand gegenüber seinem Fenster darunter baute—Wenn von der Oberseite der Mauer, die er bis zum Fenster gebaut hat, weniger als vier Ellen waren, kann er ihn zwingen, sie abzusenken, damit er nicht darauf steht und in das Fenster schaut. Wenn er unten ein Fenster an seiner Wand hatte, könnte er ihn zwingen, die Wand, die er gegenüber vier Ellen höher als das Fenster gebaut hat, anzuheben, damit er nicht hineinschaut. Und gegenüber: Er muss die Wand vier Ellen vom Fenster entfernen, damit er das Licht nicht blockiert.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Batra
מי שהיה כותלו סמוך לכותל חבירו – in the form of a גא"ם/Gamma – an angle, and he comes to make a second wall opposite the wall of his fellow until he makes the three walls like the form of the [Hebrew letter] "בי"ת"/Bet, his fellow will prevent him, until he distances it from opposite him four cubits, in order that the place between the two walls will be wide and many will be able to tread there. For the walking of feet on the ground nearest the wall strengthens the foundations of the wall and preserves them. And especially the wall of a garden or he wall of a courtyard that is in a new city where many have not [yet] tread, and the ground was not strengthened as much as needed through treading of the feet [of people]. But, in the wall of a courtyard that is in an old city is supported and there is no need to distance it. And similarly, if the wall of his fellow was not four cubits or more, he doesn’t have to distance it, for a wall that is less than four cubits does not need strengthening.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Batra
Introduction
Mishnah four discusses how far a person must distance his wall from his neighbor’s walls.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Batra
ובחלונות מלמעלן מלמטן ומכנגדן ד' אמות – he had a wall above his wall and his fellow built a wall opposite the window from below. If there remained from the top of the wall that he built up until the window less than four cubits in height, he forces him to lower the wall in order tha the not stand on the top of the wall and look out through the window.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Batra
If one’s wall was adjacent to his friend’s wall he may not build another wall adjoining it unless it is at a distance of four cubits. If a person already owns a wall adjacent to his friend’s wall, he may wish to add another wall, thereby creating a three walled structure. If he wishes to do that he must leave four cubits between the new wall and his friend’s wall in order that people will walk near his friend’s wall. It was believed that people walking near a wall would strengthen the foundations of the wall. If he didn’t leave enough room next to his friend’s wall people would not walk there, thereby depriving his friend of that benefit.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Batra
מלמטן – the window was lower than the wall, he forces his fellow to raise the wall that he built opposite him at the height of four cubits from the window in order that he should not see him.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Batra
And [if he builds a wall opposite his friend’s] windows, whether it is higher or lower than them or level with them, it may not be within four cubits. If a person wishes to build a wall opposite another person’s windows he must fulfill three conditions: 1) If the wall is higher than the window it must be more than four cubits higher so that he will not be able to use his wall to look into his friend’s window. 2) If the wall is lower than the window it must be more than four cubits lower so that he will not be able to stand on the wall and look into the window. 3) If it is across, it must be four cubits away so that it will not block the light going into the other window.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Batra
ומכנגד – he must distance the wall from the window four cubits in order that he will not obscure his light.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Batra
Questions for Further Thought: • Why is the mishnah so concerned with people looking into other people’s windows? What does this teach us about privacy?
